The Beneficient Spider
by You-Know-Who
Summary: Sila and the Corinthian spend some sweet quality time together before the tragic events of The Dreaming #54. *shounen-ai*


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Author's Note: I really adore the Corinthian especially when he's momentarily happy with Sila in The Dreaming 52-54 if Drucilla's memory....which I'm hoping it does because I have no idea. If you're not familiar with these issues, all you really need to know is Sila is a sweet little transvestite from Bangkok(...I think.) and that him an d Alex Corinth/the Corinthian version 2.0 are in love. :]

Disclaimers: I own neither character....and I refrain from commenting on what I would do were they in my care. :] (*Clarification: I mean plot-wise and such....not anything....disgusting.....)

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"If they [spiders] do but touch men 

only with their mouth. they put them in 

wonderful pain and make them mad: 

so beautiful boys by kissing 

do sting and pour secretly 

in a kind of poison."

~Socrates

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There was nothing more pathetic than having nightmares when you yourself used to be one, Alex Corinth, once the Corinthian, reflected as he woke up with Sila's soft, warm body pressed to his.

It wasn't so bad....not completely, he mused as he kissed his lover's temple and placed the blankets more securely around him. If this was what being human meant, he couldn't completely regret anything.

Sila made a noise than was a cross between a soft moan and a yawn before wrapping his arms around Alex's neck, eyes still closed tightly.

"Good morning," Alex murmured nuzzling Sila's cheek.

"Mmm...." Sila replied opening his eyes and smiling dreamily up at him. "Good morning. How did you sleep?"

"Eh," Alex managed shrugging and sitting down on the edge of the bed. 

Sila released Alex's neck and curled up on the bed resting his head in Alex's lap. 

"Nightmares again?"

"You could say that," Alex said yawning and rubbing his eyes hiding his surprise at the slight wetness he found beneath them. "....It made me miss you."

Sila cocked his head looking up at him with concerned eyes. "But I'm right here..."

"Even so, my nightmares make me aware of how much I need you."

Sila chuckled. "You worry too much."

"Or not enough," Alex said before making an effort to shake off the bitterness and dread in his voice seeing how concerned it was making his lover. 

He considered as he often did telling Sila the truth, but wondered what good it would do. It wouldn't change anything that had happened, but it might have the potential to ruin the one good thing he had.

Sila sat up and pulled Alex into a comforting kiss gently probing Alex's mouth with his tongue before giving him a serene contented smile and sinking back into his arms.

"Feel any better?" he said lazily running his hands along Alex's cheek.

"Mmmm," Alex replied bending down and kissing Sila back passionately. 

He pulled away. "Much better."

He couldn't imagine wanting to give this up if Dream asked him to return. Maybe he would allow Alex to take Sila with. He didn't know what he would do without Sila since the boy had entered his life. 

It was to the point where thinking about being without him was painful. His nightmares were a testimony to that. 

How did humans deal with it?, he wondered. Becoming close to so many people doomed to die?

It probably just wasn't a choice. Since seeing Sila on that stage, since this small, beautiful boy had tried to drown the sorrows that had been apart of the Corinthian for the beginning, there had simply been no other choice.

Sila nuzzled Alex's cheek before going into the bathroom and turning on the showerhead. Alex remained where he was as Sila stepped inside under the warm spray.

The nightmares were worse than before though. The fear, the pain of loss. He had never understood it before and now he was beginning to. The idea of losing Sila was the most dreadful notion conceivable to the ex-Nightmare.

He wondered if Sila would be the same if brought into the Dreaming. Otherwise, he wondered if he'd be able to give up his role. 

Easily, he mused. As easily as I feel in love with him. As easily as I moved from one life to another as a Nightmare.

He rose from the bed and dressed quickly. He felt the boy's soft arms wrap around his waist from behind as he put on a plain white T-shirt.

He chuckled and looked behind him. "You can't be away from me for a second, can you?"

"You know you like it," Sila said cheekily burying his face in Alex's back. He was wearing a black silk cheongsam with embroidered silver dragons. His hair was still loose and covered his face from Alex's view.

He smirked and ran his fingers through strands of it before turning around and pulling Sila into his arms.

"So what happens today?" He asked before resting head atop Sila's. 

"Was something supposed to?" Sila asked.

"Not that I recall. I wouldn't mind continuing to stand here," Alex murmured.

"I wouldn't mind either, but I also wouldn't mind eating something first," Sila said with a smirk.

Alex sighed and shook his head affecting a woeful countenance. "I see how it is."

"You certainly do," Sila said with a chuckle. "I'm starving."

"Well, by all means, let's get you something to eat. So much for romance."

"After I eat, you can be as romantic as you like," Sila said kissing Alex's cheek and pulling him into the kitchen.

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Alex sat and watched Sila eat--more like inhale-- whatever he had managed to find around their apartment. Alex sipped a cup of coffee and poked his toast with a finger finding himself with no appetite to speak of.

"You really were hungry," he remarked with a soft sigh of content setting his cup down.

He smirked wondering what the others of the Dreaming would/did think of his becoming rather domestic. 

Sila nodded and made a noise that Alex interpreted as a "Yes" although it had been completely unintelligible. 

"I love you," he remarked casually in between sips of coffee.

"I can't believe how much I love you," Alex added almost immediately setting his cup down again.

"I can, because I love you just as much," Sila said after swallowing his forkful of rice and vegetables. 

Alex moved his hand across the table and captured one of Sila's with it and squeezed it gently. Sila made him want to be human, to be almost vulnerable. It was such as odd wonderful feeling, the keen sting of being in love. 

"It's the least you could do, right?" Alex questioned with a soft smile. "Seeing how hopelessly and pathetically I love you now."

"Of course," Sila said with a soft smile. 

~~~~~~~~~~~

The rest of the day was spent doing barely anything besides snuggling together. Alex half-heartedly read a book he had picked up a few days before. Sila dutifully attended to his hair and impeccably grooming his nails.

Alex peeked over the top of his book and watched him almost fascinated by the amount of care and work Sila put into these tasks.

He chuckled as Sila frowned and fretted.

Sila looked up at him and pouted.

"You laugh but it takes a lot of work to---"

"You'd look simply divine to me no matter what," Alex said setting his book down. He wasn't going to get any reading done at this rate anyway. "I think it's enduring."

Albeit border-line obsessive-compulsive, he could almost hear Matthew muttering. Sometimes he missed that bird and his snide remarks. 

Sila pouted some more.

"Awwww, don't be upset," Alex said sidling over towards him. 

"Just for that, you have to paint my nails," Sila muttered.

"I thought the goal was to punish me not cause yourself to suffer," Alex said grinning.

"That's true," Sila mused. "You'd probably make a mess of all my hard work."

"Now I don't know whether to feel insulted or what," Alex said chuckling.

"Insulted," Sila said in a sweet tone.

"Ah, I appreciate the help."

"Anything for you," Sila said batting his eyes before biting his lips and debating at what nail polish to use.

"You should go with the Blood Red one."

"It's Spiced Berry," Sila said without looking up still mulling over his choices.

"Okay, then use that color. "

"You think?"

"Sila, I love you so I'm going to lie and pretend I care by saying yes," Alex said smirking.

Sila scowled. 

Alex snorted. and smiled cheerfully. "Can I put Spiced Berry on your nails if I promise not to mess it up this time?"

"I suppose and if you mess up you can just repaint them," Sila said brightening. "That's the nice thing about nail polish."

"Heh." 

Sila moved over beside him and held out his hand happily.

Alex picked up the bottle of dark crimson nail polish and opening it gently.

He just hoped this relationship went more smoothly than his application of nail polish.

Sila chuckled as Alex shakily began to paint his nails and kissed his cheek. 

"Even if you messed up completely, I'd find it in my heart to love you...maybe even forgive you," he said softly.

Alex shook his head and refrained from commenting. 

He let the anxiety ebb away and concentrated on two things: Sila's lovely face and doing a decent job on his nails.

Sila concentrated on Alex and flashed a dazzling smile.

Alex smiled back and found himself fall in love with Sila all over again. 

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~FIN~

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End file.
